In recent years, there has been an increased demand in the automotive field for accommodating and attaching, in a centralized and comprehensive manner, a plurality of circuit units such as ECUs having electrical connectors (first connectors) in a circuit unit accommodation box that is mounted in advance on the side of a vehicle.
Here, a connector device shown in FIGS. 19 through 28C (see JP2002-246106A), for example, is a known connector device combining a first structural body, such as a circuit unit having a first connector, and a second structural body having a receptacle connector that connects with the first connector. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the assembly of a conventional example of a connector device having a receptacle connector. FIG. 20 is a sectional view illustrating a state in which the second connector is accommodated in the receptacle shown in FIG. 19. FIG. 21 is a sectional view along line 21-21 in FIG. 20. FIG. 22 is an explanatory diagram of the connector device shown in FIG. 21 at an intermediate point during mating. FIG. 23 is a sectional view along line 23-23 in FIG. 22. FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram of the connector device shown in FIG. 22 at an intermediate point during mating. FIG. 25 is a sectional view along line 25-25 in FIG. 24. FIG. 26 is an explanatory diagram of the completed state of mating of the connector device shown in FIG. 24. FIGS. 27A through 27D are the illustrative diagrams showing the relationship between locking mechanism and unlocking mechanism in the assembly consisting of the first connector, receptacle part, and second connector. FIGS. 28A through 28C are the illustrative diagrams showing the relationship between locking mechanism for locking the first connector and second connector and unlocking mechanism.
The connector device 101 shown in FIG. 19 is designed to combine a first structural body (not shown in the figures), such as a circuit unit having a first connector 102, and a second structural body (not shown in the figures) having a receptacle 105 that connects with the first connector 102.
Here, the first connector 102 is formed in a substantially rectangular flattened shape, and has an opening 102a that receives a mating part 104a of the second connector 104 at the front end (right end in FIG. 20), as shown in FIG. 20. Pairs of unlocking keys (unlocking mechanism) 102b are respectively provided on two surfaces of the first connector 102 (one pair on the upper surface and the other pair on the lower surface) at the front ends thereof. Furthermore, as is shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, a pair of unlocking ribs (unlocking mechanism) 102d are provided with one rib being provided on either side surface of the first connector 102. Each unlocking rib 102d is constructed from a pair of upper and lower ribs 102e that extend from the rear end side toward the center and a projection 102f that links the front end portions of these ribs 102e and that protrudes outward in a semi-circular shape. Moreover, engaging windows 102g that open into the opening 102a are formed in both side surfaces of the first connector 102 corresponding to the projections 102f of the unlocking ribs 102d. In addition, attachments 102h, for the first structural body, are provided at four comers of the rear end portion of the first connector 102.
Furthermore, the receptacle 105 includes a receptacle housing 103, which is fastened to a second structural body (not shown in the figures), and a second connector 104 that is accommodated in the receptacle housing 103. The second connector 104 makes a mating connection with the first connector 102 when the first structural body and second structural body are assembled together.
As is shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the second connector 104 includes a substantially rectangular mating part 104a that is received in the opening 102a of the first connector 102 and a flange 104b that is provided on the rear portion (right portion in FIG. 20) of the mating part 104a. The second connector 104 is designed to be attached inside a through-hole 103a of the receptacle housing 103 from the rear. Cutouts 104c, each allowing the passage of two unlocking keys 102b, are respectively formed in the upper and lower central portions of the flange 104b. Moreover, locking projections 104d respectively protrude from both upper and lower surfaces of the second connector 104, in the vicinity of the cutouts 104c. Each locking projection 104d can pass between two unlocking keys 102b. Moreover, locking members (locking mechanism) 104e, which respectively engage with the engaging windows 102g in the first connector 102 and thus lock the first connector 102 and second connector 104, are provided on both side surfaces of the mating part 104a of the second connector 104. A pair of projections 104f is provided with one projection protruding from either side surface of the flange 104b of the second connector 104.
In addition, as is shown in FIGS. 19 and 20, the receptacle housing 103 is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and is provided with a through-hole 103a that passes through, in the front-back direction (left-right direction in FIG. 20) and that accommodates the second connector 104 on the inside. A pair of mutually facing locking spring ribs (locking mechanism) 103b are provided in the center of either surface (upper and lower surfaces) of the receptacle housing 103. As is shown in FIG. 21, locking claws 103c protrude inward from the rear ends of the respective locking spring ribs 103b. Furthermore, as is shown in FIG. 20, projections 103d, used as an unlocking mechanism, are provided on the respective inner surfaces of both side walls of the receptacle housing 103. Moreover, attachment parts 103e for the second structural body are provided on the lower end portions of both side walls of the receptacle housing 103. In addition, a pair of cutouts 103f, with which the projections 104f of the second connector 104 are locked, are formed in the rear surface of either side wall of the receptacle housing 103.
Next, the actions of the respective constituent elements in the connector device 101 will be described.
As is shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, when the second connector 104 is inserted into the through-hole 103a from the rear end of the receptacle housing 103, the locking projections 104d of the second connector 104 respectively push the locking spring ribs 103b of the receptacle housing 103 outward, so that the tip ends of the locking projections 104d are locked in by the locking claws 103c, and the projections 104f of the second connector 104 are locked with the cutouts 103f in the receptacle housing 103. As a result, the second connector 104 is accommodated and held inside the through-hole 103a in the receptacle housing 103, thus completing a receptacle 105.
Furthermore, when the first structural body, having the first connector 102, is moved in the direction of arrow A, shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the front end of the first connector 102 is inserted into the through-hole 103a of the receptacle housing 103 of the receptacle 105. Meanwhile, the locking members 104e of the second connector 104 are inserted into the opening 102a in the first connector 102, the first connector 102 slides inside the through-hole 103a, and the mating of the two connectors 102 and 104 is initiated. Then, the first connector 102 further slides inside the through-hole 103a, so that the first connector 102 and second connector 104 are placed in the state at an intermediate point during mating, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23. In this state, and as shown in FIG. 27B, the unlocking keys 102b of the first connector 102 make contact with the locking claws 103c of the receptacle housing 103, so that the locking parts 104d of the second connector 104 are left locked in by the locking claws 103c of the receptacle housing 103, as shown in FIG. 27A. The second connector 104 is left accommodated and held inside the through-hole 103a in the receptacle housing 103. In this state, furthermore, the projections 102f of the unlocking ribs 102d of the first connector 102 are pressed inward by the projections 103d of the receptacle housing 103, as shown in FIG. 28A. As a result, the locking members 104e of the second connector 104 are displaced inward, so that these locking members 104e are not completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g. Accordingly, the first connector 102 and second connector 104 are not locked together.
When the first structural body, having the first connector 102, moves further from this state by the gap g in FIG. 28B in the direction of arrow A, shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the first connector 102 and second connector 104 are placed in the state immediately prior to the mating completion shown in FIGS. 24 and 25. In this state, as is shown in FIG. 27D, the unlocking keys 102b of the first connector 102 respectively push the locking spring ribs 103b of the receptacle housing 103 outward, so that the locking parts 104d of the second connector 104 is unlocked from the locking claws 103c of the receptacle housing 103, as shown in FIG. 27C. In this state, furthermore, the projections 102f of the unlocking ribs 102d of the first connector 102 are left pressed inward by the projections 103d of the receptacle housing 103, as shown in FIG. 28B. As a result, the locking members 104e of the second connector 104 are displaced inward, so that these locking members 104e are not completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g. Consequently, the first connector 102 and second connector 104 are not locked together.
Then, when the first structural body, having the first connector 102, is moved further in the direction of arrow A shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the pressed state of the projections 102f of the unlocking ribs 102d by the projections 103d of the receptacle housing 103 is released as shown in FIG. 28C, so that the locking members 104e of the second connector 104 are completely engaged with the engaging windows 102g, and the first connector 102 and second connector 104 are locked together, thus completing the mating of the two connectors 102 and 104. Moreover, the front end of the first connector 102 presses the flange 104b of the second connector 104, so that the state shown in FIG. 26 is created. In this state, as shown in FIG. 26, it is possible to prevent the transmission of vibration on the side of the second structural body attached to the receptacle housing 103 to the second connector 104 because the second connector 104 is away from the inner wall surfaces of the receptacle housing 103. Therefore, such a construction prevents the generation of vibration stress or noise caused by the vibration.
However, several problems are encountered with this conventional connector device 101.
Specifically, with regard to the connector device 101, there is no specific disclosure as to how the first structural body, having the first connector 102, is combined with, held by, and attached to the second structural body having the receptacle 105. In addition, there is no specific disclosure as to the timing with which the first structural body is combined, held, and attached. For this reason, the connector device 101 cannot be applied to a construction in which a circuit unit, having the first connector, is accommodated in a circuit unit accommodation box having a receptacle connector, which has been a demand in recent years in the automotive field.
Furthermore, in the accommodation of a circuit unit into a circuit unit accommodation box, it is desirable that the worker be able to attach the circuit unit to the circuit unit accommodation box with a simple operation, and easily realize the completion of the attachment of the circuit unit to the circuit unit accommodation box by sensation.